Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Located two miles North of Disneyland on Harbor Blvd, the Palm is a survivor indeed. The motel predates the Magic Kingdom but managed to corral it's share of visitors, including Doris Huffman of North English Iowa. She arrived by bus and stayed a week before making her way home via Canada. This was back in August 1961. Today's modern guests are more of the extended-stay, down-on-their-luck types. Here's how she looked on June 20th, 2007:

If you're in the mood for a swim in the heated pool, you'll need a time machine:

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Up the road from Anaheim (about 260 miles on Highway 99), let’s stop for a cup of coffee and maybe some steak fries. This is Farnesi’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop in Madera, CA.

It’s large, free standing sign can be seen from quite a ways off. Farnesi’s has been open since the early 60’s, serving quality food and drink to those traveling down California’s golden Central Valley.

Here’s the great sign from a mid-60’s postcard and a picture from the present day. Though largely intact, some of the playfully-fonted mini-signs pertaining to the adjacent motel (which still stands) have gone missing (‘TV’, ‘Phones’, etc.) Oh well, at least the classy cocktail glass remains…

The restaurant building itself looks largely the same, but has been enlarged somewhat over the years:

Next time you’re motoring through Madera, make sure you patronize this fine old relic of the road. After a couple o’ highballs and New York Steak & Eggs, you’ll think its 1966 all over again… (And you’ll probably want to get a room!)

Friday, June 1, 2007

Back in Anaheim, we now visit the Alpine Inn. The Alpine was one of the earliest of the motels that sprouted up to surround Disneyland after it’s 1955 opening. It was/is located at 715 Katella Avenue near the now closed South entrance to the old Disneyland parking lot. Each room had it's own phone and free TV, and also featured refrigerated air conditioning. This postcard shot dates from the late fifties based on the cars in the lot.

Here’s the Alpine in 2004. The sign now conforms to the new Anaheim Resort code, but this old motel is definitely still kicking. I’m not sure when the well-themed snowy roof and log siding was added, but one could argue that the Alpine looks better now than when it was new some fifty years ago. I think I’ll dial KEystone 5-2186 and book some rooms for my annual June trip...